Log #6

Book: The Fault In Our Stars

Author: John Green

Page: P.38~P.113(C3~C7)

    I had the feeling that teenagers who have faced with cancer, for example, both Hazel and Augustus, have very mature perspectives toward life. I'm not sure it is just a coincident or the author wrote it purposely. When I was reading it, I had to keep reading the same sentences or passages because what Hazel and Augustus said were too difficult to understand. It's not the words they used but the meanings behind them were profound. For example, on page 67, Hazel introduced her favorite book An Imperial Affliction to Augustus. She says: That's part of what I like about the book in some ways. It portrays death truthfully. You die in the middle of your life, in the middle of a sentence. I am surprised by her thought about death. Most of the teenagers even adults seldom think of issues of death. Not only did she think of it but have a reflection of it. I believe it must be the experience of merely dying that makes she has the realization.There is a huge difference between the two main characters. Hazel views herself as a grenade which is going to blow in unknown time; thus, she tends to keep the distance from others. She is afraid that her sudden death will cause her friends, family, lovers pain. So she doesn't want to be with Augustus' girlfriend despite the fact that she is totally in love with him. On the other hand, Augustus is a boy, who likes to interact with others. He thinks it is important for his loved ones to remember him after he dies. The extremely opposite personality of the two is the most wonderful things in the book.

     In addition, I have to admit that I don't agree with the plot which Hazel and Augustus have a crush on each other in such a short time. Hazel goes to Augustus' home having a movie with him on the "first" day they met! I would never do this! How do you know you like a person at the very sight you see him or her?  I have read one-third of the book so far, and want to adjust my opinion a little bit about this book. At first, I thought the book is just like another cliche love story talking about two teenagers with the similar background having cancer, meeting and encouraging each other to fight the horrible disease. However, I have found that it's not just that. It also contains something else, for instance, how do you deal with it, how do you see yourself, a patient who is going to die in the matter of time or a normal person encountering normal worries such as love problems  in life. Overall, the brand new perspective makes me more eager to read the book.